ROCK/OUTDRIVE DAMAGE?

[gregstukey]

So, Im' a new boater and hit a rock with the outdrive this weekend. There's' not a scratch on the outside of the boat and the only visible damage is to the very lowest portion of the outdrive underneath the prop (and the prop itself which was replaced) which is some scrapes. But we are experiencing some excess bilge water accumulation that wasnt there before. Is he outdrive seal potentially loosened from the trauma? What could cause the excess bilge water if there are no lacerations anywhere on the boat with hitting a rock with the outdrive?

thanks,
-Greg

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: ROCK/OUTDRIVE DAMAGE?

Check all the rubber boots between drive and gimble housing. Also check gimble housing and transom for damage.

This is an insurance claim.

 

[Don S]

Re: ROCK/OUTDRIVE DAMAGE?

Did ya hurt the rock???

IF, you have an old boat, and IF the transom is rotten, you very well could have pulled the transom shield away from the transom. The lower bolts may have pulled through or partially through the rotten transom.
This is only a possibility. Without actually looking to see where the water is coming in from, there is no way of guessing what is leaking.
Stick it back in the water and LOOK.

 

[gregstukey]

Re: ROCK/OUTDRIVE DAMAGE?

so the only water i can see coming in is from the bilge drain? --the tube that seems to come from upship draining into the bilge? so that must mean the leak is coming from upship? or not necessarily? --but theres not a scratch in the hull...also, the leak seems to slow when the outdrive is put in the trailer position when at the dock...any ideas???

Thanks,
-Greg

 

[gregstukey]

Re: ROCK/OUTDRIVE DAMAGE?

by the way, its a 1992 Sunbird with an OMC Cobra 5.0 V8....other than what i did to it, its in pristeen condition.

 

[Purduebarry]

Re: ROCK/OUTDRIVE DAMAGE?

Even a perfect looking boat can have wood rot, especially on the bottom part of the transom, water seeps in, doesn't get out and rot. The hit may also have just busted some things loose. Have you tried to tighten the bolts? Several here have had luck tightening all the mounting bolts and stopped the leak. However watch carfully if the bolts begin to stress the glass or give or squeeze brown juice (rot juice) then you may need to consider tearing it down to fix it correctly.

 

[Reel Poor]

Re: ROCK/OUTDRIVE DAMAGE?

If the bolts are loose and will tighten up, as Perduebarry mentioned, you need to pull the drive and check the engine alignment.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: ROCK/OUTDRIVE DAMAGE?

If you are new to this, and are not a marine mechanic, you need to get it to one, soon. Also, if you didn't contact your insurance carrier, you need to now. You should have from the beginning. It could be a lot of things wrong. Some major, some minor. You need to get to someone who can figure it out, pronto.

 

[cobra 3.0]

Re: ROCK/OUTDRIVE DAMAGE?

I had a similar occurance. I tightened the drive mounts from the inside. There was only a very, slight looseness to them, but it sealed everything right up and now no leaks.